Shoe display case



Jan. 4, 1955 M. P. NOVACK 2,698,689

SHOE DISPLAY CASE Filed April 24. 1950 INVEN TOR.

A TTO/Q/Vf Y United States Patent SHOE DISPLAY CASE 7 Michael P. Novack,Milwaukee, Wis.

Application April 24', 1950', SerialNo. 157,679

Claims. (Cl. 211-34) This invention relates to cases for thetransportation and display of salesmans samples of shoes and otherfootwear.

One object of the present invention is to provide a display caseequipped to maintain an orderly arrangement of the contained footwear,such as to avoid danger of rubbing, scufling or otherwise marring thefootwear during transit, to present the several samples to full viewupon opening the case, and to permit ready removal and replacement ofindividual samples for minute inspection as occasion may arise.

Another object is to provide a display case possessing the abovecharacteristics and capable of being inexpensively produced.

Another object is to provide improved shoe retainer means for shoedisplay devices.

Other objects and advantages will appear, expressed or implied, from thefollowing description of a shoe display case constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a shoe display case embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the lower section of the case.

The case shown is of substantially rectangular form and composed ofsimilar upper and lower sections 10 and 11 hingedly interconnected andclosable on each other in the manner of an ordinary suit case. Eachsection is proportioned to receive and contain a longitudinal row ofshoes, one of which is shown at a, seated on the base panel 12 thereof,and each section is equipped with means for releasably but eflfectivelyretaining the individual shoes of each row in spaced parallel relation.

In this instance the shoe retainer means shown comprises a shelf-likeplate 13 extending lengthwise along one side of each section and rigidlysupported by suitable means such as bracket plates, one of which isshown at 14 attached to an end wall of the upper section 10. Each plate13 lies parallel to and is well spaced above the base panel 12 of thesection. The exposed edge of each plate 13 is cut away at intervals toform a series of recesses 15 and intermediate projections 16, each ofthe recesses being of a size to loosely accommodate the back I; of ashoe and to partially embrace without contacting the same. To insureagainst marring the shoes at this point the recessed edge of the plate13 is preferably covered with a buffer strip 17 of rubber or other softmaterial suitably attached thereto.

The series of projections 16 of each plate 13 provide a succession ofsupports for a flexible tension member preferably in the form of anelastic strand 18 arranged to span the entrance throats of the severalrecesses 15, the strand being bound to each of the supports 16 bysuitable means, such as straps 19, riveted or otherwise fixed thereto.Knots 20 at the ends of each strand provide convenient anchoragetherefor. The arrangement is such that when the back of a shoe is thrustinto one of the recesses 15, the spanning section of the strand 18 isdeflected in a manner to partially embrace the back of the shoe and totension the strand into secure gripping relation with the shoe.

Another elastic strand 21 coacts in a similar manner with the toes ofthe several shoes to retain them in place. In this instance each strand21 is supported at intervals by a series of binding straps 22 fixed inspaced relation along the inner edge of a fixed rail 23 extendinglengthwise of each casing section 10 and 11. Each rail 23 is showndisposed along" that side of a' casing section remote from the plate 13and adjacent the base panel 12. The arrangement is such that, after theback of each shoe has been thrust into one of the recesses 15 andagainst the strand 18 in the manner above described, the projecting toeportion c of the shoe sole may be engaged beneath the correspondingsuspended portion of the strand 21 and then advanced into projectingrelation over the rail 23, thereby deflecting and tensioning the strand21 into grippin'gengagement with the toe of the shoe. With a shoe thuspositioned, the two strands 18 and 21 react on the opposite ends of theshoe, to hold the latter'ag'ains't the base panel 12 and against lateralor longitudinal displacement.

It will be noted that with the several shoes positioned and retained bymeans such as above described there is nothing to materially interferewith a full view of the individual shoes. This is of course important indisplay devices. Moreover, if a minute inspection of an individual shoeis desired, any shoe may be manually withdrawn for that purpose merelyby lifting the same from between the retainer strands 18 and 21; andafter inspection, it may be as readily returned to its original positionin the manner above described. It will be further noted that by reasonof the elastic nature and deflected condition of the strands, they clingtenaciously to the retained shoes without danger of rubbing or otherwisemarring them.

With a view to economizing space, so as to provide for a maximum numberof shoes in a case of minimum depth, and without crowding, the plate 13and rail 23 of each casing section 10 and 11 are preferably so arrangedthat, when one section is closed upon the other, the higher backportions of the shoes in one section will overlie the shallower toeportions of the shoes in the other section and vice versa; also therecesses 15 in the plate 13 in one section are preferably staggered withrespect to those in the other section, so that the shoes in the twosections assume a stagered relation when the case is closed.

Also, to insure against rubbing contact between the shoes, when the caseis closed, and as a further aid in preventing displacement of individualshoes, a curtain 24 is preferably provided for one or both of the casingsections 10 and 11. In this instance two such curtains are shown, eachattached to the outer of free edge 25 of a section and adapted to bespread over the shoes in the section before the case is closed.

Various changes may be made in the display case hereinabove specificallydescribed without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe positioning and retaining means for use in shoe display cases,said positioning and retaining means comprising a member disposed inspaced relationship above the shoe supporting surface of the displaycase, a series of laterally spaced open-ended heel receiving recessesformed in the forward marginal edge of said member, an elastic meansspanning the open ends of said recesses and positioned on said member, asecond elastic means disposed in parallel spaced relationship with saidfirst named elastic means, said second named elastic means beingpositioned forwardly of and below said first named elastic means, aseries of engaging means disposed in spaced relationship along saidsecond named elastic means for delineating segments thereofsubstantially equal in length to the width of said open-ended recessesin said member and respectively aligned therewith, said first and secondnamed elastic means being deflectable upon the application of a shoetherebetween to exert yielding pressure respectively on the heel and toeportions of the shoe to thereby position and retain the shoe in thedisplay case.

2. A shoe positioning and retaining means, as set forth in claim 1, inwhich the first named elastic means provides a means operative upon theapplication of a shoe which exerts a downward and forward pressure uponthe heel portion of the shoe to effectively center the same in the heelreceiving recess of said member and yieldably retain the shoe heel inpressure contact with the shoe supporting surface of the display case.

3. A shoe positioning and retaining means, as set forth in claim 1, inwhich the second named elastic means provides a means operative upon theapplication of a shoe which exerts a rearward and downward pressure uponthe toe portion of the shoe to effectively retain the shoe againstlateral movement and maintain the sole thereof in pressure contact withthe shoe supporting surface of the display case.

4. A shoe positioning and retaining means, as set forth in claim 1, inwhich the first and second named elastic means cooperate upon theapplication of a shoe to provide a means operative to exert downwardpressure thereon to retain the shoe against the shoe supporting surfaceof the display case and simultaneously exert pressure upon the shoe toyieldably retain the same against accidental displacement in the displaycase after it has been positioned therein.

5. A shoe positioning and retaining means, as set forth in claim 1, inwhich the first and second named elastic means cooperate upon theapplication of a shoe to provide means operative to exert a compressionforce on the opposite ends of the shoe to yieldably retain it in itsadjusted position between said elastic means and simultaneouslycooperate to exert a downward pressure on the shoe to retain it inpressure contact with the shoe supporting surface of the display case.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

